Latvian PM hands in resignation

Latvian Prime Minister Krisjanis Karins on Thursday submitted a letter of resignation to President Edgars Rinkevics, reported Xinhua.

Rinkevics thanked Karins for his work as head of government for four and a half years, noting his work during the difficult time of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The current government will continue its work until the formation of the new cabinet.

Rinkevics told journalists he would hold consultations with all political parties represented in the parliament at the beginning of next week and then pick a candidate for prime minister to form a new government.

The president said he would call on the next cabinet to set the country's primary goal of reaching the medium living standard of the European Union by 2030.

Special attention needs to be paid to the development of education and science as well as healthcare, and attracting foreign investment, Rinkevics stressed.

Karins announced on Monday that he would resign amid differences with coalition partners.

Karins, the leader of the center-right New Unity, blamed the centrist United List and conservative National Alliance for thwarting attempts to improve the government's performance.

A former economy minister and member of European Parliament, Karins became the country's prime minister in 2019 as a compromise candidate heading a five-party coalition in which New Unity was the smallest member. After New Unity won the parliamentary election last year, Karins managed to form a three-party government with a slim majority. But the new coalition was marred by disagreements.